The present invention relates to data communication networks and more particularly to systems and methods for adapting Frame Relay networking techniques to new physical layer access technologies.
Frame Relay is a packet-based scheme for implementing a wide area network (WAN). Frame Relay information is divided into packets or frames. Frame Relay packets travel through a series of Frame Relay switches between a source node and a destination node. Frame Relay employs a very simple routing scheme. Packets are sent via a virtual circuit between the origin and destination. All packets of the same virtual circuit follow the same preconfigured route through a Frame Relay network.
Although Frame Relay lacks the flexibility inherent in Internet Protocol (IP) based routing schemes, it is relatively simple to implement and also provides many qualities of service features. Furthermore, because Frame Relay packets may encapsulate IP packets, Frame Relay may be used to support IP-based applications such as web access and e-mail.
Typical Frame Relay networks use point to point links to implement network connections both between intermediate nodes and to provide access to users at the network edges. These point to point links are often T-1 or T-3 connections.
Increasingly, however, broadband access is provided to businesses and residences by the use of point to multipoint networks where a central access node communicates with many subscriber nodes via a shared transmission medium. One example of such a point to multipoint network is a data over cable network where numerous cable modems exchange data with a head end. Another example of a point to multipoint network is a broadband wireless access network where numerous subscriber radios exchange data with a central access point.
It would be desirable to provide Frame Relay services to users of such point to multipoint networks. One could then obtain easier access to the existing Frame Relay infrastructure and the services provided thereon. Unfortunately, Frame Relay packets cannot traverse point to multipoint networks as they are currently configured. What is needed are systems and methods for adapting Frame Relay services to point to multipoint networks and providing Frame Relay connectivity via such networks.